Bokeh Baby...

OK - So I got a new lens last weekend (50mm / f1.4) that I am totally stoked about! It gives great bokeh! (That's my new word...and I plan to use it frequently...as well as the lens.) Bokeh is that fuzzy dreamy quality to a picture...shallow depth of field...and sharp where you want it; like eyes, the center of a flower, the beak of a duck, 1 bead on a light shade...I love it! Great for portraits; great for just picking up and shooting random things...like at Pops & Mimi's in Odessa, or a duck feeding frenzy, or a few flowers, or a few of your kids... I can't wait to use it in a session - it's sharp, fast, vivid and light - a great prime lens! I am in the hunt for another lens soon...The Canon 24-70 L Series! Now taking donations...just kiddin!

~The Williams Family~

Luckily yesterday wasn't as hot and humid as it was today because we ventured out to Lakeside Park in Highland Park for the Williams family session...

Great family, adorable and well-behaved kiddos...and oh, so photogenic!

The pic of the kids on the bench is one of my new favs! Don't they look like best buddies...

Thanks for a great session, and I hope you enjoy your preview! ~D

August 1997 ~ July 2008

A girl's best friend...

It's so hard for me to write as I know it is almost minutes it seems until we will have to say goodbye to our Penny forever. She has been with us through so much...she protected Jeremy from himself in college...'walked us down the aisle'...mourned with us through the loss of other pet friends...comforted me when Jeremy was out of town...and watched over our little Emma from the day we brought her home. She is the one 4-legged child who lets Emma use her as a pillow, punching bag and squeeze toy. Even now, when she doesn't feel, act or look like the same old Penny...She is a gem! She even humored me today when I forced she and Emma out to our old rail station to take a few keepsakes. I can look into those big soulful eyes and tell she isn't all together...but she will be with us together in our hearts and memories.

She will never be compared; she will never be replaced; she will forever be missed. We love you Penny!

Small Town, USA...

When it comes to patriotism...I'm a big pile of mush! I love everything about this country and even respect those that say they don't. After all, that's part of what I love. However, if it's a flag, a veteran, a soldier, a parade...I'm the first to stand and applaud and probably cry...so don't give me crap about it, ya hear...:) The older I get, the more I appreciate what my Grandaddy fought for so many years ago in the skies over Italy and Germany during WWII.

So...what can you say about a 'Small Town July 4th'...Quaint, charming, fun, quirky? All of the above! It's home, and I love it because it is patriotism at it's simplest!

May God continue to bless America...and all of our military families and heroes - thank you for serving!

After the rain...

Notice how after it rains everything seems...brighter...cleaner...softer... Well that's what happened today...right in the middle of the summer heat...Just when everything turns that wonderful crunchy brown, flowers and plants wilt, water bills sky rocket and gardners all across Texas pray for even the smallest of sprinkles if for nothing else but than to get rid of the stifling heat...we got a much needed drink. Everything seemed to be brought back from near death...and all was made new again!

I can only imagine...

Tonight...in the middle of my haste to 'get things done' and getting from one moment to the next, I was interrupted by a light tap on the studio window - it was my best half asking me to come outside. SO...although now irritated, I went...the wind had picked up...the air had gotten a little cooler (hey, 90 is friged after the heat we've had lately)...and suddenly I was thankful J took the time to make me stop...can't you imagine God right in the middle of this...coming down in a blaze of glory...coming to take His children home!? Look closely...you might just see...or are you like me...do you need to go and 'get something done'?

Not just any school picture...

Well...I can honestly say that Emma's school pictures are rockin!

Kuddos goes to Elizabeth at The Shepherd's School for asking Amy Teichman to be the person to tackle the GINORMOUS job of capturing all of those munchkins...what a challenge in just a few days!

I am impressed!!! No tacky backgrounds with wagon wheels...no fake fruit or balls they can barely hold...no platforms and foam covered in furry cloths to sit on (contaminated by other children...if you know what I mean...I know, I have a kid, remember? I know what they do...even when you ARE looking...)...no ugly chair to stand behind...and most importantly - NO FAKE SMILES!

I love them! Thanks Amy for the great pictures!

And, thanks to the best little school in Dallas County for making the dreaded 'school picture' something to remember...and smile about!

Under Re-design...

I used 're-design' cause I just don't like the word 'construction' - design sounds SO much more fun, right? Yeah! I think I am trying to convince myself...or my re-designer (J)! :)

Anyhoo, if you've been to my website lately...well, it's changed...again. It's one of those things where knowing what you want in your head and making it actually happen are 2 very different challenges.

So, please be patient with the site; it is a creation in process. Please let me know if you can't find something; chances are it's just lost for the moment! And for goodness gravy crumminittly ~ someone tell me if they are a FlashPlayer guru!

beautiful LIFE!

http://www.tinstarphoto.com/

Wild Horses...

Everyone loves a baby...and I am no different from 'everyone'! The pasture next to Ree's house has been blessed by 4 foals this spring...and they are such a joy to watch. Their curiosity has finally gotten the better of them as over the last few weeks of repeated visits...they have finally gotten up enough courage to see who these humans are...up close!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there...and to my "One and Only"...Wild Horses couldn't drag me away! Love D & E

The Eyes Have It...

Two posts in 24 hours! Holey Moley!

Well, I'm trying to 'practice' each day...so tonight we just ventured out in the backyard and took a few. For the first time Emma said - Take my picture Mama! The 4 words a mom/photographer loves to hear...especially from their own baby!

I love eyes, and Emma has the best! There is so much going on behind those eyes. The second picture is the reason I call her "Princess Crazy Hair" (Her Dutch / Indian name, of course) and the last picture is definitely my favorite - all messy! She's becoming quite the little model!

Fish...and so much more!

Well, our family day was postponed due to food posioning (don't ask, but I am TOTALLY bummed about the place it came from), so we gave it a whirl on Saturday at the Dallas World Aquarium! OK - first, if we had to do it again...we would NOT pick Saturday...it was packed! Second, save up...it's a bit on the pricy side, but the money goes to a good cause...check out the link on their conservation programs. But the time together and photos were well worth it all!

Work in progress...

If you know anything about our circa 70's house...you also know it was a foreclosed home that sat vacant for over a year...no care, no love, no style (was there a style in the 70's...besides crappy?) and definitely no place for nature to call home! So, we have become green thumbs out of necessity...before the fire ants and dahlia grass could become the rulers! Now...the fire ants are at bay...and the dahlia grass is retreating! God has returned to our little piece of earth; birds, frogs, butterflies, spiders...and, of course, Emma!

Check out the little series on the progression of Sunflowers in our new butterfly garden! Within the next year, everything will be established enough to begin portrait and family sessions...right at home!

My Hometown...

Well, just about the first thing people say when I tell them where I live (besides not knowing the correct pronunciation) is, "Why?".

My Grandaddy owned land here long ago...and after our second stint in College Station...my hubby and I were looking for that "small town" feel with LOTS of history! (If you know me well enough, you know I LOVE history!)

So just a brief lesson...

Waxahachie had its first settler in 1845. E. W. Rogers owned the land upon which the original town of Waxahachie was laid out, and built his first home upon the present site of the Rogers Hotel. Waxahachie was formally incorporated in 1871. The town was already thriving by that time, and the arrival of the first railroad in 1879 assured growth and prosperity. Prosperous times circa 1890-1920 resulted in the construction of much of present downtown Waxahachie, and the construction of many of the presently existing glamorous homes.

Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States. The population was 21,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ellis County. Waxahachie was the birthplace of Tom Blasingame, considered the oldest cowboy in the history of the American West, and also of Byron Nelson, a professional golf legend.

Waxahachie has a growing reputation of being a "little Hollywood." The Academy-Award winning films "Places in the Heart" starring Sally Field and John Malkovich, "Tender Mercies" starring Robert Duvall, and "Walking Tall: The Payback" were filmed in Waxahachie. The long-running television series Walker, Texas Ranger starring Chuck Norris was filmed in Waxahachie. GO CHUCK!

SO...when people ask, "WHY?" I say..."Yes, the commute can be a killer, especially on days when the HOV is out of commission...BUT, just look at the charm of my little hometown!"

Whirlwind of a weekend...

Man, what a weekend...

We started off at The Shepherd's School with a 2 year Birthday Bash for Emma and her friends...migrated back to Waxahachie for the official celebration with family...and ended the weekend with a wonderful Mother's Day Celebration at the White's house for Baby Kate's dedication! Whew! Bring on the caffeine!

Movin On Up...In My Backyard!

We were true weekend warriors! Thanks to Pops & Mimi who came all the way from Odessa to help make moving out possible! BUT...mostly thanks to Daddy J for making mom's dreams come true for Little E!

Much Love, D

Emma March 2008

~Blue Eyed Beauties~

I had the privilege of shooting the blue-eyed Cox beauties - Rusty, Whitney, Paxton and Mackie! We had a great day at the Dallas Arboretum, and the weather proved to be fabulous...so was that smile of Miss Mackie!

~Baby Kate~

Meet Emma's new cousin, Katherine Grace White...I was given the honor of her first 'official' shoot! And hopefully many more to come...

For the first time...

Yes, I have decided to become a 'blogger'...

What a great way to help my clients see a preview of their sessions...for the first time...